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7 November 2025
11am on 2 December 2025
19 December 2025
Thank you for your interest in the position of Lead Non-Executive Director (NED) at the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).
This is an exciting and challenging time to join the MoJ. Every day, we make a difference to people’s lives in every corner of our country. Prison and probation staff keep our communities safe. Court staff make sure justice is delivered swiftly and fairly. The MoJ sustains a justice system respected the world over; one that underpins Britain’s reputation as a beacon of fairness, the international order and the rule of law.
Over the past year the challenges have intensified as we look to repair our prisons, reduce court backlogs, mitigate the risks surrounding cyber security and lay the foundations for once-in-a-generation reforms that will transform our justice system.
Our NEDs are essential in enabling us to meet these challenges. I want to appoint a Lead NED, who will provide robust independent oversight and constructive challenge to the executive team, help shape our strategic direction, and ensure we remain focused on delivering for the public. Your leadership across the NED cohort will be vital in enhancing board-level effectiveness and supporting the department’s senior leadership.
I am seeking a leader with a strong track record in delivery who can build strong collaborative stakeholder relationships and who has strong communication and interpersonal skills.
We welcome applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds and perspectives, who can bring fresh thinking and a collaborative spirit to our work. A genuine passion for the MoJ’s mission, and a commitment to public service, are essential.
I look forward to hearing from you.
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) Departmental Board forms the collective strategic and operational leadership of the department. Chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Justice, it brings together the Ministerial and Civil Service leaders with senior non-executives from outside government. It is responsible for setting strategic direction, including reviewing progress against the department’s delivery plan. The Departmental Board is supported by an Audit and Risk Assurance Committee, Delivery Board and the Nominations Committee.
The Ministry of Justice is seeking to fill the lead non-executive board member position. The department’s lead non-executive board member provides independent advice and scrutiny on an array of departmental issues including the operational implications and effectiveness of policy proposals, focusing on sustained performance, delivery and outcomes. Policy will be decided by Ministers, with advice from officials.
The lead non-executive board member will exercise their role through advice, influence and support to the Executive team and Ministers in order to address departmental challenges as well as improve performance. We are committed to ensuring our Board is diverse and welcome candidates from diverse backgrounds.
The Lead Non-Executive shall:
· be a member of the Departmental Board, chaired by the Secretary of State for Justice, and Chair the Nominations Committee
· scrutinise departmental performance and advise on transformation, operational issues and effective management, holding the executive to account, as required.
· form a close relationship with the Permanent Secretary with whom they will meet to review progress of the Department’s strategic objectives as outlined in the Justice Delivery Plan
· provide independent scrutiny and advice for the Department upon request with a strong focus on driving up performance
· meet other non-executives across government and the Government Lead Non-Executive regularly to share best practice and to ensure Departments learn from the successes and failures of comparable organisations
· arrange regular meetings, with the other non-executive board members, to review and discuss current and emerging Departmental issues and cross-government initiatives and policies
· regularly appraise the performance of other non-executive board members.
· report their views of the Department in their own section of the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts and lead the Annual Review of the Departmental Board.
· work with the Executive Committee to continue to improve the delivery of the Departments business; and
· Chair or join other relevant departmental Committees or Working Groups on request.
· Relationship building: ability to build strong stakeholder relationships, including with Ministers and Senior Government officials and external stakeholders.
· Leadership: the ability to set strategic vision and drive forward priorities of the organisation/ a strong track record in relevant senior leadership roles
· Experience: a strong track record of delivery in a large and complex organisation within the private, public or voluntary sectors.
· Knowledge: a clear understanding of the work, priorities and challenges of the organisation and the context within which it operates.
· Collaboration: ability to work closely with the executive board and other key stakeholders, providing support, constructive challenge and assurance as appropriate.
· Judgement: effective decision-making skills with the ability to critically analyse a wide range of information to make clear and objective evidence-based recommendations to support the delivery of the organisation's objectives.
· Communication: strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to listen, accept challenge and constructively challenge others in discussions with clarity and respect.
The successful candidate will ideally have more detailed expertise in one or more of the following;
· Change and project delivery: experience of transforming business by managing large scale and complex projects and programmes. Board-level experience of involving stakeholders in change would be a distinct advantage.
Some public appointments are made by the Prime Minister, or the Crown on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. Others are made by Secretaries of State or other ministers and are of interest to the Prime Minister.
Public appointments made by or of interest to the Prime Minister
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In order to apply you will need to create an account or sign in.
Once you are logged into your account, click on 'apply for this role' and follow the on-screen instructions. To apply, all candidates are required to provide:
We will ask you to check and confirm your personal details to ensure your application is accurate.
You will also have the opportunity to make a reasonable adjustment request or apply under the disability confident scheme before you submit your application.
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In order to apply you will need to provide:
A Curriculum Vitae which provides your contact details, details of your education and qualifications, employment history, directorships, membership of professional bodies and details of any relevant publications or awards;
A supporting statement setting out how you meet the criteria for appointment, as set out in the person specification for the role;
Information relating to any outside interests or reputational issues;
Diversity monitoring information. This allows us to see if there are any unfair barriers to becoming a public appointee and whether there are any changes that we could make to encourage a more diverse field to apply. You can select “prefer not to say” to any question you do not wish to answer. The information you provide will not be used as part of the selection process and will not be seen by the interview panel;
Disability Confident – please state if you want to be considered for the disability confident scheme;
Reasonable adjustments - requests for reasonable adjustments that you would like to the application process (if applicable);
The Advisory Assessment Panel reserves the right to only consider applications that contain all of the elements listed above, and that arrive before the published deadline for applications.
[Standard text on a regulated public appointment process will appear as follows; this can be deleted/overwritten for adverts for appointments that are not regulated]
Public appointments are made on merit following a fair and open competition process which is conducted in accordance with the Governance Code for Public Appointments. We will deal with your application as quickly as possible and will keep you informed at key stages. We aim to conclude the appointment process within three months of the deadline for applications – this is in accordance with the Governance Code.
The assessment process
Ministers are responsible and accountable to Parliament for the public appointments made within their department. As a result, they must be consulted at every stage of the appointments process.
An Advisory Assessment Panel (“Panel”) is appointed by Ministers to assist them in their decision making. The role of the Panel is to decide, objectively, which candidates meet the eligibility criteria for the role.
At the shortlisting meeting the Panel will assess applications against the eligibility criteria and decide which candidates have best met the criteria, who should be recommended for interview. Ministers will then be consulted on the Panel’s recommended shortlist. If you have applied under the Disability Confident Scheme and you meet all the essential criteria, then you will also be invited for an interview.
Once the shortlist has been agreed by Ministers, you will be advised (by e-mail) whether you have been shortlisted. Those shortlisted will be invited to an interview.
The Panel will meet again to interview candidates and determine who is appointable to the role. The Panel may invite you to make a brief presentation at the start of the interview and will go on to question you about your skills and experience, including asking specific questions to assess whether you meet the criteria set out for the post. The Panel will also explore with you any potential conflicts of interest or any other issues arising from your personal and professional history which may impact on an appointment decision.
Details of the panel’s assessment of interviewed candidates are provided to Ministers, including whether they have judged a candidate to be appointable to the role. It is then for Ministers to determine merit and decide who should be appointed. In some circumstances, Ministers may choose not to appoint any candidates and re-run the competition.
Ministers may choose to meet with candidates before deciding the outcome. Candidates should therefore be prepared for a short time gap between interview and a final appointment decision being made. Candidates who have been interviewed will be kept informed of progress.
Once the decision on the appointment has been made, interviewed candidates will be advised of the outcome of their application, including whom they may approach for feedback. Successful candidates will be issued with their Terms & Conditions and a letter of appointment should they agree to take up the position.
In general, you should have the right to work in the UK to be eligible to apply for a public appointment.
There are a small number of specialist roles that are not open to non-British citizens. Any nationality requirements will be specified in the vacancy details.
The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards.
You cannot be considered for a public appointment if:
you are disqualified from acting as a company director (under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986);
have an unspent conviction on your criminal record;
your estate has been sequestrated in Scotland or you enter into a debt arrangement programme under Part 1 of the Debt Arrangement and Attachment (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 17) as the debtor or have, under Scots law, granted a trust deed for creditors.
When you apply, you should declare if:
you are, or have been, bankrupt or you have made an arrangement with a creditor at any point, including the dates of this.
you are subject to a current police investigation.
You must inform the sponsor department if, during the application process, your circumstances change in respect of any of the above points.
When you apply you should also declare any relevant interests, highlighting any that you think may call into question your ability to properly discharge the responsibilities of the role you are applying for. You should also declare any other matters which may mean you may not be able to meet the requirements of the Code of Conduct of Board Members (see Outside interests and reputational issues section below)